The best controller is the one you’re the most comfortable with. It’s the reason why one of the best fighting game players in the world can win modern championships with a PlayStation 1 controller. When using a gamepad becomes second nature, playing becomes easier.
However, finding familiarity between multiple controllers can be a problem if you’re playing games on different systems like your Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, and mobile devices. You could go with two or three controllers — or just one.
The 8BitDo Pro 2 is a Bluetooth controller that works just as well on consoles like the Switch as it does on PC, Mac, and even mobile. It’s become one of my favorite third-party controllers, and it’s even helped me declutter a bit.
Here’s why it might be your new favorite controller.
The quest for controller parity
If you’re someone like me who is lucky enough to have plenty of games to play on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PC, macOS, and a smartphone, then your home is also probably littered with controllers. Regardless of how large your home is, having gamepads strewn across the house can be a bit of a nuisance.
It can do (most of) it all!
Photo: Jeff Ramos/Polygon
I’ve managed to declutter my home by attempting to create the greatest amount of controller parity between all the devices I play games on. I’ve whittled down my extensive library of controllers for each platform down to two controllers for all of them: PS5 DualSense and the 8BitDo Pro 2.
Since the PS5’s DualSense controllers are one of the few that can make use of the system’s advanced features, there’s really no substitute for it. For everything else, the 8BitDo Pro 2 is what I grab when I want to play something.
8BitDo Pro 2 features
The 8BitDo Pro 2’s layout feels like a mix between the classic PlayStation controller and a SNES gamepad — especially its gray color. It makes the controller feel familiar while still establishing its own identity.
The face button arrangement as well as the shoulder buttons are exactly where you’d expect them to be. The thumbsticks run along the bottom of the controller, like a PlayStation gamepad, and unlike the diagonal orientation of the Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X controllers.
Photo: Jeff Ramos/Polygon
The 8BitDo Pro 2 differentiates itself …….